FAFSA completion in Utah up 39% over last year
According to a new analysis, completion of the 2017-18 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by eligible high school seniors has jumped an incredible 39% over last year. Source: http://website.education.wisc.edu/nwhillman/index.php/2017/06/09/october-to-june-high-school-fafsa-filing/ On average, FAFSA completions are up 10% across the country. These substantial increases could be attributed to the earlier filing timeline of the FAFSA for […]
Year-round Pell grants available July 1
The US Department of Education (ED) recently announced higher education institutions can begin to award year-round Pell grants for students starting July 1, 2017. Before these changes, students could only receive Pell grants for their fall and spring semesters. The change reinstates what was briefly implemented in 2009 but pulled back in 2012 due to […]
Over 10,000 students attended StepUp events in 2016
The Utah System of Higher Education via their college readiness platform StepUp to Higher Education, has worked to increase college preparation awareness among Utah high school students, with a large emphasis on how to pay for college over the past few years. StepUp outreach officers work with individual high schools and school counselors to host […]
Starting Oct. 1, students can file their 2017-18 FAFSA
On Sept. 14, 2015, President Obama announced significant changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process that will impact millions of students. Starting with the 2017–18 FAFSA, the following changes will be in effect: Students will be able to submit their FAFSA as early as Oct. 1, 2016, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2017. […]
1 in 3 USHE students received a Pell Grant during the 2015-16 academic year
Pell Grants: An Overview The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain post-graduate students to promote access to higher education. A Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not need to be repaid, and can be used at any one of approximately 5,400 participating postsecondary institutions nationwide. Grant amounts are dependent […]
1 in 5 undergrads don’t apply for financial aid because they believe they won’t qualify or don’t need it
According to a new report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 1 in 5 college undergraduates don’t apply for financial aid because they believe they would not qualify, or they think they can afford school and don’t want debt. The NCES report was based on data from the 2011-12 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), […]
USHE and UHEAA “StepUp” efforts to increase college readiness in Utah
This past year, the Utah System of Higher Education’s outreach and access department, along with the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority (UHEAA)’s outreach, have worked together to increase college readiness among Utah’s high school students through the StepUp to Higher Education social awareness campaign. StepUp encourages all Utah students to dream big about their futures, and then act […]
FAFSA completions up in Utah, down nationwide
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education released data showing that fewer high school seniors nationwide are completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) than last year. During April 2015 to April 2016, FAFSA completion fell 3.2% nationwide. Experts suspect the decline is due to the lack of students not fixing mistakes on their application […]
Utah College Application Week 2015 nearly doubles number of student participants over previous year
Last November 2015, the Utah System of Higher Education sponsored Utah College Application Week (UCAW) events at high schools and community centers around the state for the third year. UCAW gives every high school senior in participating schools the opportunity to apply to college during the school day, with a particular focus on first-generation and low income […]
Efforts to increase FAFSA completion in Utah
Anyone attending college or planning to attend college should complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is the only way to receive federal financial aid for college in forms of Pell Grants, work-study, federal student loans, and some scholarships. Utah continues to be last in the nation for percent of eligible […]
